The 2015 final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015a) states that educational institutions are part of the problem of systemic colonialism that persists across the country. Racism against Indigenous peoples is apparent across Canada, as in the United States, Australia, and elsewhere. In this context, we share our applied theoretical framework, the “default to deliberative mode of engagement framework,” or D2 framework, that we designed for ourselves as non-Indigenous, or settler, educators who contribute to decolonization processes by increasing students’ interest in traditional and contemporary Indigenous values, cultures, knowledges, and legal and governance processes. In this article we share our reflections on the value of the D2 framework as a guide that can assist users in decolonizing themselves. Moving away from what we call “default mode” of colonialism can be the toughest part of the decolonizing journey. Accompanying the D2 framework, we share narratives that illustrate the kind of daily actions that reflect deliberative civic engagement on the road to reconciliation.
Alexander et al. (Wed,) studied this question.